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I've recently acquired several of these frosted Switch 60 bulbs and have been trying them out in various locations throughout the house! The light output from the frosted lens bulb is not quite as stunning as that of the clear lens version; however the frosted lens helps diffuse the intensity of the individual LEDs while an increase in power keeps the lumen output in line with the clear version. The output is most definitely in the soft white warm light range, but not too brown which is my typical complaint with most incandescents and many other LED bulbs. At 4.4 inches in length, this bulb is just ever so slightly longer than the incandescent bulbs it replaces, but for the majority of applications, I don't believe this will be a problem. One of the more impressive aspects of this LED bulb is it's virtual "instant on" performance, even when starting at a dimmed setting. Other LED bulbs I've tried to date have had much difficulty achieving this feat, but not this one!
From the aesthetic appearance point of view, I've been playing around with both the clear and frosted versions of this bulb and I can definitely say that which one looks best definitely depends on the application. For the clear cyrstal light fixtures on my ceiling fan, the clear bulb looks best... it's just a little "alien egg thing" looking during the daytime when it's off! Fortunately, the ceiling fan is up pretty high, so you're generally not starring at it when it's off; however, when it's on you can't help but stop and gaze in awe at the awesome display the clear version puts on. So far, I've generally chosen the clear lens version of this bulb for applications in light fixtures with clear glass/crytal shades (both exposed bulb and totally enclosed); however, the frosted version just seems more appropriate to me in more opaque shade applications where the bulb is exposed to view. Though I haven't verified my suspicion yet, I'm thinking I'll be going with the clear bulb for totally enclosed opaque shades as well to optimize efficiency as the frosted bulb dissipates more power for the same lumen output as the clear. Again, the frosted lens seems best for exposed bulb applications where the frosting results in a bulb outline illumination when it's on and helps hide the alien nature of the internals when it's off.
By the way, the ability to use this bulb in totally enclosed light fixtures is one of the features that sets this bulb apart from others. Many other LED bulbs may only be used in limited orientations or in open/ventilated fixtures. Per the manufacturers instructions, this bulb is "Suitable for use with dimmers," "Suitable for damp locations," "Suitable for use in enclosed luminaires (fixtures)." The box states that this bulb "Operates in any direction and in any fixture: open, recessed, or enclosed."
As with most LED bulbs, this one is somewhat heavy and thus weight may be of concern for some more fragile light fixtures.
Other equivalent wattages (40, 75, and 100) should be along soon as well...
Actually, some of the others are already out and here are some product links:
SWITCH SWITCH60 12 Watt 2700K Warm White Clear LED Light Bulb 800 Lumen
SWITCH SWITCH75 20 Watt 2700K Warm White Frosted LED Light Bulb 1100 Lumen
SWITCH SWITCH75 18.5 Watt 2700K Warm White Clear LED Light Bulb 1100 Lumen
SWITCH SWITCH40 8 Watt 2700K Warm White Frosted LED Light Bulb 450 Lumen
FYI: The Switch 40 and 60 are both supposed to be around 4.4" in legth while the switch 75 and 100 are supposed to be around 4.9" in legth... so the higher output bulbs will increase the bulb size which may be a concern in some applications.
Now, if you happen to be in the market for a good non-dimmable vanity globe type LED bulb, the Tuwago LED Globe Bulb has got to be the one to beat. They're ever so slightly larger in diameter than the typical globe type bulb, but they're absolutely awesome. Here's the product link:
Tuwago 9.5W Globe CREE® LED Bulb Warm White 2700K
UPDATE 02 FEB 2013:
As I've noted before in one of my other reviews, one of my primary concerns with LED bulb adoption has been the inability of companies to provide a consistent product in both form and function over time. In an exposed bulb application, I'd at least like all my bulbs to look the same and at some time in the future when one of my LED bulbs fails, it would be nice to know that I'll still be able to get a replacement to match my original bulbs in which I'm heavily invested. Given the history of the LED bulb industry to date, I'm concerned that this is a long-shot bet given the rate at which products have been appearing and disappearing. In the case of Switch Lighting's bulbs, I'm hoping that they invested heavily enough in their initial design so as to need little physical design change down the road; however, only time will tell whether that's truly the case. Of course, I also have to hope that the company manages to make a sucessful go of this and stay in business... or, if not, at least sell the design off to another company who will continue with the design. Beyond formfactor though is the realm of functional performance which I believe will be a challenge for all LED bulb companies, including Switch.
One would like to hope that a company can produce a consistent product with consistent performance; however, there are many technical complexities such as maintaining consistent LED sources, component sources, and so on. Unfortunately, I think evidence of this concern can already be seen in inconsistencies I've already found with Switch Lighting's initial product offerings. Specifically, there already appears to be two different Switch60 bulb designs in circulation. In purchasing the Switch60 frosted bulbs whose packaging declares a 13.5W power consumption, I've discovered that some of the bulbs are actually marked as 14.5 Watt on top of the bulb itself... and these bulbs do seem to produce a slightly different light output color than those appropriately marked as 13.5W. And a quick comparison on one of Batteries Plus's power meters does show a watt or more difference in power consumption between the two Switch 60 frosted bulb designs. Additionally, in my experience, the 14.5W marked version of the Switch 60 produces a slighly more "brown" output than the approprately marked 13.5W version... which is how I discovered the existence of the two different design versions. In fact, you can see the 14.5W version of the bulb yourself by simply taking a close look at the bulb pictured on EarthLED's website... zoom in on that picture of the bulb-top labeling and you can clearly see that the pictured bulb is actually labeled as 14.5W instead of the advertised 13.5W... all of which leads me to question exactly which version you would receive if you were to order one. Again, you have to get the picture directly from EarthLED's site to see this as the picture posted here on Amazon is too low resolution to be able to make out the labeling. Same sort of thing is apparently going on with the clear bulb as well.
The Swith 60 clear bulb is advertised as 12W power consumption; however, as with the frosted bulb, there is also a version floating around with a higher 13W rating. I can't really comment on any output color difference between these bulbs as I've not really had them in close proximity; however, I can verify that both the 12W and 13W versions exist as I went back reviewing my prior purchases of clear bulbs for inconsistencies as well and guess what? My original purchase of four clear bulbs I used in one ceiling fan application are all labeled as 13W while three additional bulbs purchased later for another ceiling fan application are labeled as 12W. Though I no longer have the packaging for these bulbs, I'm pretty sure their packaging advertised a 12W power consumption, not 13W. I've also since seen the 13W clear bulbs in BatteriesPlus stores with packages that state 12W. Unfortunately, the store didn't have both bulbs available at the same time to allow me to perform a similar power consumption comparison, but I'm betting I would likely have seen an actual 1W or better difference as noted in the frosted version. Ironically, you can also see this 13W version of the clear Switch 60 bulb pictured on EarthLED's website which advertises them as 12W. Just zoom in on the clear bulb-top labeling currently pictured on their site as you will readily see the 13W labeling. Again, I believe the Amazon version of this picture is too low resolution to be able to do the same with it.
Is this really a big deal? Well, that's up to you to decide, but I personally feel the "inconsistent" product labeling and inconvenience of having to run around trying to get all my frosted bulbs to match so that they produce the same colors in same fixture applications is worth deducting one star from my original 5-star review... and it certainly doesn't ease my concerns over future product consistency... or over which product I'll actually receive when ordering any more for that matter...
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Why spend so much on a light bulb? There are some major advantages to buying one of these lights that are detailed below.Color Warmth: Compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs often cast a rather sickly glow. They can feel cold and uncomfortable. I work in an office where a number of my colleagues choose to sit in the dark rather than work under the standard CFL tubes. No doubt we've gotten used to this since CFL bulbs have become the norm over the past couple of years. When you turn on a Switch, you will be transported back to a time when light bulbs emitted a soft golden glow. The experience is actually nostalgic, believe it or not. What's more, the Switch improves greatly on other LED lights which can emit a very stark light and do so in only one direction. The Switch casts soft light in all directions and offers a bulb without compromise. This is what a bulb is supposed to look like!
Longevity: If someone was to install a Switch on the day his or her child was born, he or she wouldn't have to change the bulb until the kid had graduated from college (based on the predicted life span of 22.8 years printed on the back of the Switch box). This ia simply a game changer in the world of lighting. This is a light bulb that could last longer than your lamp. This is especially helpful if you have a light fixture that is a pain to gain access to like in a ceiling lamp.
Safety: If a CFL breaks, it's almost like having to deal with a haz mat spill. Just look up the recommended way for cleaning up a broken CFL online. Mercury is seriously toxic, and even if your CFL doesn't break, it still may end up in a landfill where the mercury could poison the ground water. A Switch, on the other hand, does not contain mercury. It uses food-grade silicone. If it breaks, there is no need for panic. Yes, you're out some money, but your health will not be at risk.
Low Operating Temperature: Some people think LEDs don't give off heat. In fact they do...quite a bit. Switch bulbs are the first UL-listed bulbs that are liquid cooled. This means you can put them into enclosed lighting fixtures without worrying about overheating. The silicone dissipates the heat so that they can stay cool. Try touching an incandescent bulb after it's been on for 30 seconds. Then touch the Switch. You'll know the difference immediately. Additionally, most LED bulbs have trouble working in very hot environments. The Switch can operate in temperatures up to 113 degrees Fahrenheit. This means you can install one outside and not worry about whether it will overheat (unless, maybe, you live in Death Valley).
No Warm-up Time: If you use CFL bulbs, you know that they start out pretty dim when you first turn them on. It may take up to a minute before they reach peak luminosity. In contrast, the Switch bulbs light up immediately. In fact, I've detected the bulb being a little brighter for the first half-second that the bulb is on. Then it returns to it's normal light level.
It Just Looks Cool: You might have seen a Switch and thought that it looks bulky and would seem out of place in your home. I thought that too, but honestly, the metal base pretty much disappears even in fixtures where the light bulb is clearly exposed like in inverted bathroom fixtures. Even if you could see it, it would still look cool. Reviewers have described it as having an art deco look, and I can definitely attest to the fact that it looks great when installed.
The Bottom Line: Yes, this is a lot to spend on a light bulb. Switch is slated to be releasing more cost-efficient light bulbs called Afinia bulbs later in the summer of 2013. Even so, I'm certain that you won't be disappointed in buying this bulb. I've already started to replace all the bulbs in my house. Not all of us can be early adopters of fantastic new inventions, but this is one situation where almost all of us can be. Plus, this light bulb will likely be the last one you ever buy.
Best Deals for SWITCH Lighting A22141FA1-R Classic A19 LED Light Bulb with 60-watt
Maybe these are technically 2700K and test to that in a lab, but in my house they seem to be noticeably cooler in color than say the phillips 2700k LEDs.The idea behind these bulbs is great for enclosed areas. I hope they continue to improve the color.
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